Giorgio Armani

The story Giorgio Armani told for pre-fall isn't a new one, but nobody tells it better than he does. If he didn't invent the idea of androgynous dressing, he certainly put his imprimatur on it. And he demonstrated his sure hand here with such pieces as a charcoal gray, six-button double-breasted trouser suit. Armani makes it a policy to experiment with a new cut of pants each season. This time around, the bottom few inches of trousers were loosely gathered, creating a slouchy, draped effect at the ankle.

The girl in boy-meets-girl dressing came through in the collection's bright pops of orange and fuchsia, a callback to the colors in his Japonisme-inflected haute couture show last July. The sweetest dress in the bunch was sleeveless, with a slightly blousoned bodice over a full, floaty skirt. Other numbers had a clingier, more body-conscious fit thanks to scubalike fabrics, but the evening looks that made the most impact were the tuxedos. He's still at his best when he's cutting a suit.